#209

NOW SOLD

NB Birchills Oak and Chrome Rollerball Pen

(25% of which will be donated to The Black Country Living Museum for the continued upkeep of NB Birchills)

EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur 

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown. 

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off! 

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around. 

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flaky gunwale would have been burned. I wasn't sure how deep the rot would have gone and how deep I would have to delve into this piece to find stable wood. The pens I make from historic boat materials have been thoroughly tested by me to make sure that they will give pleasurable daily use. 

That old flaky gunwale went on to make a few very nice pens and I was lucky enough to be given some more wood by Ade at A P Boat Building in Alvecote. This time a piece that appears to be from the old red cabin hatch surround.

This particular pen was turned on Tuesday17th February 2015 just around the corner from the Fountain Inn in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.

#208

NOW SOLD

NB Birchills Oak and Chrome Fountain Pen

(25% of which will be donated to The Black Country Living Museum for the continued upkeep of NB Birchills)

EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur 

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown. 

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off! 

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flaky gunwale would have been burned. I wasn't sure how deep the rot would have gone and how deep I would have to delve into this piece to find stable wood. The pens I make from historic boat materials have been thoroughly tested by me to make sure that they will give pleasurable daily use. 

That old flaky gunwale went on to make a few very nice pens and I was lucky enough to be given some more wood by Ade at A P Boat Building in Alvecote. This time a piece that appears to be from the old red cabin hatch surround.

This particular pen was turned on Tuesday 17th February 2015 just around the corner from the Fountain Inn in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.

#207

NOW SOLD

NB Dane Elm and Chrome Ballpoint Twist Pen

(25% of which will be donated to The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation for the continued upkeep of NB Dane)

European Elm 

Ulmus procera 

European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been kept at the bottom of a canal for an awfully long time. 

Narrowboat Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company and used as part of their fleet. She was built in November 1946 and first registered on January the first 1947. Ade from A P Boatbuilding is currently restoring her on behalf of The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the work being done is rebottomed with new chine planks, kelson, stem post and soon to receive two new bow planks, gunwales, decks, new back cabin and engine room. The pens that I will be making from Dane are all from a heavy lump of Elm bottom plate. 

This particular pen was turned on Tuesday 17th February 2015 just around the corner from the Fountain Inn in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.

#206

NOW SOLD

NB Dane Elm and Chrome Ballpoint Twist Pen

(25% of which will be donated to The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation for the continued upkeep of NB Dane)

European Elm 

Ulmus procera 

European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been kept at the bottom of a canal for an awfully long time. 

Narrowboat Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company and used as part of their fleet. She was built in November 1946 and first registered on January the first 1947. Ade from A P Boatbuilding is currently restoring her on behalf of The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the work being done is rebottomed with new chine planks, kelson, stem post and soon to receive two new bow planks, gunwales, decks, new back cabin and engine room. The pens that I will be making from Dane are all from a heavy lump of Elm bottom plate.

This particular pen was turned on Tuesday 17th February 2015 just around the corner from the Fountain Inn in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.

#205

NOW SOLD

Zebrano Elm and Chrome Ballpoint Twist Pen

ZEBRANO - Microberlinia brazzavillensis 

Also called Zebrawood, Zebrano is a pale brown colour broken up by parallel darker streaks which create the zebra pattern that gives this timber its name. Zebrano has a coarse texture, and the interlocking grain is generally straight. With an oil finish, Zebrano can turn a dark brown colour.

This particular pen was turned on Tuesday 17th February 2015 just around the corner from the Fountain Inn in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.

#204

NOW SOLD

NB Dane Elm and Chrome Ballpoint Twist Pen

(25% of which will be donated to The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation for the continued upkeep of NB Dane)

European Elm

Ulmus procera

European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been kept at the bottom of a canal for an awfully long time.

Narrowboat Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company and used as part of their fleet. She was built in November 1946 and first registered on January the first 1947. Ade from A P Boatbuilding is currently restoring her on behalf of The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the work being done is rebottomed with new chine planks, kelson, stem post and soon to receive two new bow planks, gunwales, decks, new back cabin and engine room. The pens that I will be making from Dane are all from a heavy lump of Elm bottom plate.

This particular pen was turned on Tuesday 17th February 2015 just around the corner from the Fountain Inn in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.

#203

NOW SOLD

NB Birchills Oak and Chrome Ballpoint Pen

(25% of which will be donated to The Black Country Living Museum for the continued upkeep of NB Birchills)

EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown.

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off!

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flaky gunwale would have been burned. I wasn't sure how deep the rot would have gone and how deep I would have to delve into this piece to find stable wood. The pens I make from historic boat materials have been thoroughly tested by me to make sure that they will give pleasurable daily use.

That old flaky gunwale went on to make a few very nice pens and I was lucky enough to be given some more wood by Ade at A P Boat Building in Alvecote. This time a piece that appears to be from the old red cabin hatch surround.

This particular pen was turned on Tuesday17th February 2015 just around the corner from the Fountain Inn in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.

#202

NOW SOLD

NB Birchills Oak and Chrome Rollerball Pen

(25% of the selling price of this pen will go to  the Black Country Living Museum for the continued upkeep of NB Birchills and their other historic boats)

EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown.

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off!

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flakey gunwale would have been burned. I wasn't sure how deep the rot would have gone and how deep I would have to delve into this piece to find stable wood. The pens I make from historic boat materials have been thoroughly tested by me to make sure that they will give pleasurable daily use.

Turned on February 12th 2015 this fountain pen forms part of a pair with it's pictured rollerball #201. I used just a few coats of boiled linseed oil and cyanoacrylate to finish this pen to retain the warmth of colour and touch of the natural wood. It was made whilst we were moored outside the newly refurbished Barclay Card Arena in Birmingham.